


In Which Vernon Finally Gets A Dose Of Love

by Daovihi



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Light Drinking, Loneliness, M/M, One Shot, Queerplatonic Relationships, Trans!Vernon Roche, headcanons, mention of attempted drugging and date rape, vr finally gets the hug hes always needed, vr is a sad closeted gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-25
Updated: 2018-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-09 11:50:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13480893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daovihi/pseuds/Daovihi
Summary: After a date gone horribly wrong, Vernon confides in Geralt.





	In Which Vernon Finally Gets A Dose Of Love

**Author's Note:**

> I noticed Vernon Roche isn't very popular, as opposed to Iorveth, so I made a thing specifically for him. Basically, I think Vernon could use some love, and he doesn't exactly scream "married with four kids" to me, so I made a few hcs regarding his love life, which I put into this fic. Here's hoping he gets more love in the fandom!

"Vernon?"

"Hm?" Vernon glanced up from his papers. "Oh, what is it, Geralt?"

"You're early." Geralt pulled up a chair and sat next to Vernon. "Bad date?"

Vernon sighed and put down his quill. "That's an understatement."

"What happened?" Geralt wordlessly pulled a bottle of wine from his ass pocket.

"Depends. Do you want the short version, or the long version?"

"How much energy do you have?"

Vernon considered Geralt's words for a moment. "This woman tried to drug me, and when I noticed and told her off, she threw a screaming fit and got me kicked out of the establishment."

"Shit, Vernon." Geralt popped open the bottle with one hand. "Here."

"Thanks." Vernon took the offered bottle and downed a swig.

"So, how'd you know she tried to poison you?"

"Gritty residue on the glass, cloudy drink, and the wine, white wine, had a blue-green tint to it. If I had drank it, I'm certain it would have tasted salty as well. Or at least had the taste changed." Vernon drank again, then held the bottle out to Geralt.

"Classic signs of a poisoned drink." Geralt took the bottle and drank. "You did the right thing, refusing to take that kind of treatment."

"But I was calm about the affair!" Vernon threw his hands up, wincing when he hit the desk. "I was polite. I gently asked her about my drink. I gave her the benefit of the doubt. And when I pointed out how my drink was fucked, she screamed and cried and made me look like the bad guy!" Vernon sighed, slumping in his seat. "…Pass me that bottle."

"Sure." Geralt handed back the bottle. After watching Vernon drink, he piped up again. "She was probably trying to cover herself."

"Probably. I was working on some paperwork to begin an investigation into her when you walked in. Might be working for Nilfgaard, that one. Or any other of my enemies."

"It could be she was just trying to rape you." Geralt pointed out after a few beats.

Vernon visibly shuddered. "I don't want to think about that."

"I see." To Vernon's surprise, and much to his own, Geralt laid a hand on Vernon's knee and began rubbing it with his thumb.

There was a pregnant pause in the room. Geralt, not knowing what to say, kept on rubbing Vernon's knee. And Vernon, he just drank while waiting for Geralt to say something. After a few moments, Geralt moved to take his hand away, but Vernon grabbed his wrist and stopped him from doing so.

"Don't… don't stop. I liked that." Vernon admitted, lowering his gaze. He let go of Geralt's wrist, letting it settle back on his knee. "Thank you, for supporting me. I know I don't have much luck with the ladies. It's always one thing or another with me."

"You?"

"Most of them…" Vernon sighed sadly. "Just don't… feel any spark. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I dress up, I take them to nice places, I'm nice, I bring them flowers, and keep my standards at a reasonable level."

"What are your standards?" Geralt asked, shifting his chair so that he could more comfortably give Vernon knee rubs.

"Basically, they have to be willing to give me a chance, at least for the first date."

"That's… low."

"And yet I only get to go on a date three times a month, if at all." Vernon drank the rest of the bottle and set it aside on the desk. "If I get past that first date, I tell them I want to eventually settle down, and…"

"That's where you lose them?"

Vernon nodded. "No one likes me enough to even consider a long-term relationship…" Vernon's voice cracked at the end. "Why? I… What am I doing wrong? Is there… something wrong with me?"

"No, there's nothing wrong with you." Geralt pulled Vernon into a big, deep hug. "But you might be looking in the wrong places."

"Where… where else is there to look?" Vernon choked back his sobs as he wrapped his arms around Geralt's waist.

"Could always try dating men. Problem might be that you're not attracted to women."

"…"

"Vernon?"

"I'm gay!" Vernon half-shouted. "And trans! I have a fucking cunt! I've been hiding these things for years, trying to work around them, but nothing fucking works! I can't just… kiss a man, that'll get me disgraced! And I'll lose everything! And I feel nothing for the women I try to date! I try and try and try but I can't feel anything for them! And when I do feel something for someone, it's always the worst man I could possibly date, or a man who fucks women left and right and wouldn't even think about…" Vernon sniffled. "I wish I could just… teleport to a better world, where people like me are accepted, and can love each other, and marry and show affection in public…"

"I'm sorry." Geralt rubbed Vernon's back, soothing out his sobs. "Want me to cast axii on you?"

"No, no." Vernon hid his face in Geralt's shoulder. "No spells. I can't…"

"Hm." Geralt adjusted his hold on Vernon. "If you want, we can go on a few dates. Path doesn't allow me to settle down, but…"

"Don't you fucking pity me!" Vernon pushed Geralt away and gave him an icy glare. "I don't want or need your fucking pity!"

"Easy, Vernon." Geralt held his hands up in a placating gesture. "I'm not pitying you. I've always been interested in you, but I thought you were straight, so I didn't ask. Offer's open, in case you change your mind."

"…Thank you." Vernon took a few deep breaths. "But I don't think we can make this work. You can't settle down, at least with me, but that's what I want to do. And… I don't want to get my hopes up by dating you."

Geralt nodded. "I understand." He stood by Vernon's side and wiped the tears from his eyes, which Vernon hadn't even noticed until then. "How about we do it for one night, just so you can have hope?"

"Sure, I'd like that." 

Vernon tilted his head into Geralt's touch, giving him silent permission to continue. And Geralt did, by sitting in his lap and kissing him until there was no trace of sadness to be found. When Vernon grew drowsy, Geralt picked him up and carried him into bed, where they recounted stories until Vernon was snorting and guffawing. After they calmed down, they cuddled and tickled one another with childlike glee. Throughout all of that, Vernon found a rekindled spark of hope within himself, telling him that he will find love, and that he will settle down and achieve his dreams of peace and domestic bliss, if only he persisted in his efforts.

Vernon fell asleep in Geralt's arms with a smile on his face. Geralt kissed his forehead one last time before closing his eyes and falling asleep himself.


End file.
